Mail-delivery box.



- PATBNTED} MAR. 15, 1904.

a T. B. GRAY. Y

MAIL DELIVERY-BOX. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22, 1903.

no ionnt.

UNITED STATES Patented March 15, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

' THOMAS BUSH GRAY, OF SILVERLAKE, KANSAS.

MAIL-DELIVERY BOX.

, SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 1Y0.- 754,4=4=1, dated March 15, 1904. Application filed December 22,1963. Serial No. 186,155. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THoMAs Busn GRAY, re-

siding at Silver-lake, in the county of Shawnee and State :of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Delivery Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in mail-delivery boxes, and is especially designed'for use in connection with rural delivery, the same being so constructed as to retain the mail so that the same is readily accessible and at the same time is entirely protected from the elements. 7

To attain these objects, the invention consists of a delivery box or receptacle embodying novel features of construction and combination of parts, substantially as disclosed herein.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete box in the position it .assumes when retaining the mail. Fig. 2 is avertical central sectional view there of. vice; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the lower end of the removable holder or receptacle, showing the position the springcatch assumes in full line when holding the same within the protecting-cover and the dotted lines when the same is being removed therefrom.

Referring to the drawings, Adesignates the cover or shield, which is adapted to be secured to any proper support by means of the bracket or plate B, one end of which is rigidly secured upon the exterior of the shield intermediate of its length, whilethe other end, C, which is offset from the body of the shield, is adapted to be secured to any desirable support. This shield is preferably shaped so that its closed upper end D is of smaller diameter than the lower open end E, so that rain will be shed, so as not to dampen the interior of the shield, the said end D either being oval, elliptical, or round. Adapted to be inserted through the open end of the shield is the removable mail-receptacle F, whicln consists of the tapered walls Gr, terminatingin the scoopshaped end or lip H, which allows the mail to 5 be easily removed from the same, as it will able receptacle.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the deproject above the lower edge J of the remov- In order to properly retain this receptacle within the shield and allow its easyremoval therefrom, I provide acombined handle and clamp or latch, which consists of a strip of spring metal bent to form the short terminal K, which is secured to one side of the bottom L of the removable receptacle. Formed and adapted to project centrally beloWtli-is bottom is a substantially U-shaped handle M, which has projecting from its other side a strip N, which terminates in the spring end or terminal 0, whose upper end is secured to the exterior of the wall of the removable receptacle, so that the latch or lip P, formed at the junction of the strip N and terminal 0, will be given an outward tension, so that when the same is at rest the latch will assume the position as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings and when inserted into the shield will project through the slot or opening Q, so as to engage the shield and hold the removable receptacle within theshield.

Iprovide opening R where shown to receive locking means, so that the holder cannot be removed except by the proper party.

In order to withdraw the removable receptacle from the shield, it is simply necessary to compress the U shaped handle, which will push the latch inward, so that it will be out of engagement .with the walls of the shield, thereby allowing the easy withdrawal of the receptacle containing the mail from within the shield.

From-the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, it is evident that I provide a rural-delivery mail-receptacle which is simple, durable, and inexpensive in construction and thoroughly efficient and practical in use.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of this character, the combiterminals secured respectively to the bottom and one of the side walls of the mail-receptacle whereby the angle of the strip at the junction of the body of the strip and the terminal connected to the side, will form the latch.

2. In a device of this character, the combination with a shield provided witha closed top and an open bottom with inclined walls, and means secured exteriorly of the shield for supporting the same, of a removable mail-receptacle adapted to be inserted within the shield and be entirely surrounded thereby, a strip of metal having two terminals one secured at the bottom and one to the side of the mail-receptacle and provided intermediate of its length with a latch and handle, whereby the receptacle is locked and held within the shield or removed therefrom.

3. In a device of this character, the combination with a shield provided with a closed top and an open bottom with inclined walls, and means secured exteriorly of the shield for supporting the same, of a removable receptacle with a closed bottom and open mouth provided with a projecting lip, a strip of metal having one terminal secured to the wall of the receptacle and the other terminal secured to the bottom, a U-shaped handle formed intermediate of its length and projecting below the bottom of the receptacle, and a latch formed in-.

termediate of the handle and the end which is secured to the wall of the receptacle so as to be normally projected beyond the bottom and wall of the receptacle so that the receptacle will be locked within the shield or readily removed therefrom.

4. In a device of this character, the combination of a shield provided with a closed top and open bottom and having a slot in one wall near the lower edge thereof, of a removable mail-receptacle provided with a closed bottom and open mouth provided with a projecting lip, a strip of metal having one terminal secured to the wall of the receptacle and the other terminal secured to the bottom, a U- shaped handle formed intermediate of its length and projecting below the bottom of the receptacle, and a latch formed intermediate of the handle and the end which is secured to the wall of the receptacle so as to be normally projected beyond the bottom and wall of the receptacle so that the receptacle will be locked within the shield or readily removed therefrom.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS BUSH GRAY.

Witnesses:

A. M. RUssELL, E. J. PINKERTON. 

